The EPA recently finalized a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) establishing legally enforceable levels, known as Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), for six PFAS compounds including PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA, as well as PFAS mixtures containing specific combinations of these compounds.
Under the new regulation, public water systems are required to monitor PFAS compounds and have three years to complete initial monitoring by 2027, followed by ongoing compliance monitoring. Water systems must provide the public with information on the levels of PFAS in their drinking water beginning in 2027 and implement solutions by 2029 if levels exceed the established MCLs.
Taking a proactive approach, BWW began monitoring in 2023 and conducts monthly PFAS sampling on both raw water sources and drinking water. In total, BWW performs over 399,200 tests on over 300 different chemicals or contaminants each year and was prepared to follow EPA PFAS regulations a year ago. BWW is dedicated to ensuring that drinking water remains safe and free from PFAS contamination. The testing performed to date on these chemicals have resulted in levels below the EPA or AL Dept of Environmental Management (ADEM) regulatory limits in the various sources of water supply and BWW’s treatment plants’ finished water.